krehbiel



(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. KREHBIEL CAPSULE DIPPING MACHINE.

Patented June 24, 1890.

llIIllllllllllllllllllllllll! (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

J. KREHBIEL. CAPSULE DIPPING MACHINE.

Patented June 24, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KREI-IBIEL, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE KREHBIEL CAPSULE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAPSULE-DIPPING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 430,860, dated. June 24, 1890.

Application filed November 20, 1889- T0 coZZ whom it may concern:

Be. it known that I, JOHN KREHBIEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Dipping Gelatine-Capsule Molds, of which the follow ing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in dipping-machines for manu factu ring gelatine capsules; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and operation of the parts, whereby the machine is adapted to work automatically.

In the drawings which acccompany and form a part of this specification, Figure l is a front elevation of the machine with the gelatine-pan in section. Fig. 2 is a side ele- Vation. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the moldreel. Fig. 4. is a longitudinal section of the gelatine-pan with the stirrer. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the reel and gelatinepan. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of the rockshaft.

A is the dipping-pan containing the gelatine. It is provided with a steam or hot-water jacket to keep the gelatine solution hot; or, if desired, the pan in which the gelatine is contained may float in a hot-water bath contained in an outer pan of larger size.

B are two vertical guide-rods supporting the gelatine-pan, and slidingly secured in vertical guide-bearings O on a suitable supporting-frame.

.D are lifters secured to the guide-rods.

E are lifting-cams for the lifters D. r

F is a revolving shaft on which the liftercams are secured.

G is a gear-wheel on the shaft F.

H is a drive-pinion meshing with the gearwheel G.

I is the drive-shaft, having the drive-pulley I. Centrally above the gelatine-pan is journaled in suitable bearings the four-sided reel J, the four sides of which are provided with rollways, in which circular mold-plates M, provided with mold-pins, are free to roll in and out when in a vertical plane, such rollways being preferably formed by securing $erial no. 330,988. (No model.)

the guide-rails a on the corner rails K of the reel, as shown, and whereby the mold-plates are held on the sides of the reel.

Corresponding with the rollway on the front face of the reel there is a stationary inclined rack or rollway K, from which the mold-plates are adapted to roll by their own gravity into the rollway on the front side of the reel, and another rollway K corresponds with the rollway of the rear side of the reel, and on this the moldplates are adapted to be carried off from the reel by being brought into frictional contact with the endless cable L, which travels in the direction shown by the arrows, (See Fig. 3,) and which, being arranged in a vertical plane with said rollway K" and the rear side of the reel, bears with its weight on the uppermost mold-pins projecting from the faces of the mold-plates.

On the shaft of the reel is secured the wheel N, which is provided with four notches O, ninety degrees apart from each other. Into these notches the free end of the lever P is adapted to engage,'in order to lock the reel in position, with its front and rear sides in vertical planes to correspond with the ingoing and outgoing rollways K and I respectively, while the upper and lower sides of the reel are in horizontal planes.

The lever P extends with its opposite end into proximity with the side of the gear-wheel G, a spring Q acting by its tension to hold it in such position, and a projection or stud R is adapted at each revolution of the wheel G to oscillate the lever P, whereby its upper end is disengaged from the notched wheel N.

On the shaft of the reel is further secured apulley S, over which passes a slip-belt T 011t0' a pulley U on the drive-shaft 1, whereby motion is communicated to the reel, as herein further described. A

The gear-wheel is provided with a stud V, which is adapted to lift up the free end of a lever \V, which carries on an upright Y a guide pulley Z, over which the endless rope L travels, all so arranged that at each revolution of the wheel G the lever W is lifted by the stud V, thereby raising the guide-pulley Z and rope L correspondingly.

The reserve mold-plates on the rollway K (see Fig. 1) are controlled by the rock-arms b b, which are secured on the rock-shaft c, journaled in suitable bearings on the rollway K. This rock-shaft is operated by a connecting-arm cl, secured to the dipping-pan, all so arranged that when the dipping-pan is in its lowest position the first four mold-plates held from rolling down by the rock-arin are re leased and allowed to follow the action of gravity, while the rock-arm b arrests the following plates; but when the dipping-pan is in its highest position the rock-arm b releases the plates and allows them to roll against the rock-arm Z), which is now thrown into the path of the plates to hold them from rolling farther.

In practice, the parts being constructed and arranged as shown and described, the operation of the machine is as follows: The dipping-pan containing the gelatine solution is risingly and fallingly actuated by the camsE on the revolving shaft F, and every time the pan is raised up the mold-pins on the under side of the reel are dipped into the gelatine and become thereby coated to the proper length to form capsules after the gelatine has become dry. While the dipping-pan is down the reel is revolved one-quarter to bring a new set of mold-plates into position. These new moldplates have been received by the reel from the rollway K, where the rock-arms Z) released them at the time the previous four mold-plates were being dipped. Any accidental displacement of the mold-plates on the reel is prevented by suitable stops or simply by slight frictional contact with intermediate guide-rails c, which bear against the back of the mold-plates. The quarter-turn of the reel is effected by the slip-belt T, which, as soon as the lever P is disengaged from the disk-wheel N, imparts motion to the reel, which is again stopped by the lever P engaging into the next notch. At the time the reel is turned one-quarter of a revolution the lever W is uplifted by the stud V. This causes the pulley Z to raise the cable L out of the way while the reel turns; but as soon as this is accomplished the cable drops again and bears with its weight onto the top of the mold-plates which have just been dipped, and by frictional contact rolls the plates from the reel onto the rollway K, and which is of suflicient length to keep the plates rolling until the gelatine has congealed. It will be seen that every time four new mold-plates are allowed to roll onto the front side of the reel the mold-plates on the rear side are carried off, while the plates on the under side are being dipped. The four plates which run off the rack K into the reel are then replaced by four new ones as soon as the rock-arms b and b are reversed by the motion of the dippingpan. The reel is locked in position while the mold-plates are being dipped, and the previouslydipped plates rolled away and new ones rolled onto the reel by the engagement of the lever P into one of the notches of the wheel N. As the load on the reel is rather heavy, I prefer to provide additional locking devices, such as the arm f on the upright y and extending at right angles therefrom, which is adapted to engage with the stop g on the reel, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The cable which rolls the mold-plates after dipping does not mar the capsules, as the pins are never dipped more than the ends, while the pins are of sufficient length to allow the cable frictional contact without touching the capsules. It will be seen from this, description that the dipping device operates perfectly automatically, and the operator is only required to exercise a general supervision and to start and stop the machine when occasion should require, a suitable device for the purpose being provided, suchas making the drive-pinion II slide on its shaft to be thrown in and out of gear with the gear-wheel G by a suitable lover. The mold-plates are returned again automatically to the dipping device after the capsules are out off, dried, stripped off, and the mold-pins greased, as described and claimed in the general operation of the plant in another application, Serial No. 340,707, filed February 17, 1890. The gelatine solution in the dipping-pan is maintained in a suitable liquid condition bymeans of steam admitted into the steam-jacket of the pan through a flexible connection with a source of steam, so as to allow the dippingpan to freelyrise and fall, and a reserve supply of gelatine solution is kept in suitable proximity, from which the pan is replenished to maintain the gelatine at about a uniform level in the pan. As the gelatine in the pan would soon be covered with a skin on its surface if not stirred up from time to time, I provide an automatic stirring device, which consists of the rake m, immersed in the gelatine, and provided with upwardly-projecting teeth adapted to operate upon the surface of the gelatine. One end of the rake is secured to the head 0, which slidingly engages on a guide-rod 19, secured to the side of the pan, and upon which it is reciprocatingly actuated by the connecting-rod q, the free end of which is adj ustably secured to the pitman 0", which has a sliding fulcrum in a slot of the guide-bar 8. Motion for revolving the crank L, which actuates the pitman, is derived through a belt a, which belt is adapted to slip readily when the motion of the rake is opposed by the fixed stop to, which interferes with the motion of the rake-head when the dipping-pan moves into proximity to the under side of the reel, thereby preventing the rake from interfering with the mold-pins.

What I claim is 1. In a dipping-machine, the combination, with a supporting-frame, of a gelatine-pan supported therein, a revolving reel mounted in the frame above the pan and having suitable ways formed therein, stationary ways registering with the ways in the reel, plates provided with mold-pins adapted to be moved.

IIO

in and locked in position on said ways, and mechanism for actuating the parts, substantially as described.

2. In a dipping-machine, the combination, with a suitable frame, of a movable gelatinepan, a reel journaled above the same and forming a revolving carrier, suitable ways formed upon the sides of the reel, and two stationary ways with which the Ways on the front and rear sides of the reel communicate, respectively, wherebythc reel is charged and discharged, and means for actuating the pan and reel, substantially as described.

'3. In an automatic dipping-machine, the combination, with a suitable supportingframe, of a vertically-movable gelatine-pan, a reel journaled above the same and forming a carrier, suitable ways formed upon the sides of the reel, an inclined stationary way with which the ways on the reel communicate, movable mold-pin plates adapted to be moved and locked in the ways, mechanism for each way for automatically charging and discharging the plates from the reel, and mechanism for actuating the pan and reel, substantially as described.

4. In a dipping-machine, the combination, with the circular mold-pin plates, of a reel forming a carri er for the moldplates, the ways formed on the sides of the reel for holding the mold-plates and in which they are adapted to travel, a vertically-movable gelaiine-pan, stationary ways with which the front and rear sides of the reel are adapted, respectively, to communicate, and means for actuating the reel and pan, substantially as described.

5. In a' dipping-machine, the combination, with a suitable supporting-frame and the circular mold-plates, of the vertically-movable gclatine pan, the intermittently revolving reel or carrier provided with ways upon its sides, in which the circular mold-plates are adapted to roll, the stationary rollway with which the rear side of the reel is adapted to communicate, the endless cable for contact ing with and rolling the dipped mold-plates oif from the reel and onto and upon the stationary way, and means for operating the pan and reel intermittently, substantially as described.

6. In a dipping-machine, the combination,

with a suitable supporting-frame, ot the vertically-movable gelatine-pan, the intermittently-revolving carrier or reel, means for operating the pan and reel, the stationary 1nclined rollway upon which the circular moldplates are secured before dipping, rollways formed on the sides of the reel and adapted to register with said stationary rollway, the rock-arm mounted on said rollway, stops on said arm for controlling the feeding of the mold-plates onto the reel, and mechan sm for actuating said rock-arm, substantially as described.

7. In a dipping-machine, the combination, with the frame and mold-plates, of a vertically-i'novable pan, cams for actuating the same, suitable gearing for rotating the cams,

a reel journaled above the pan, formed to receive the mold-plates, a notched wheel on the shaft of the reel, a locking-lever for periodically engaging with thesaid wheel,and1nechauism for operating the lever and reel, substantially as described.

8. In a dipping-machine, the combination, with the supporting-frame and mold-pin plates, of the vertically-inovahle dipping-pan, the intermittently-revolving reel forming a carrier for the mold-plates, means for operating the pan and reel, the ways in which the circular mold-plates are supported upon the sides of the reel, the inclined rollway from which said mold-plates are fed by gravity into the way on the front side of the reel, and

locking means for engaging the mold-plates operated by the movement of the pan, substantially as described.

9. In a dipping-machine, the combination, with the intermittently-revolving reel or carrier for the 1nold-plates, of the dipping'paii, its actuating mechanism, the reciprocating stirring-rake, and the belt-transmitting motion from the actuating mechanism of the dipping-pan to the actuating mechanism of the stirring-rake, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 11th day of April, 1889.

JOHN KREHBIEL.

Witnesses:

GEO. A. GREGG, P. M. HULBERT. 

